This invention applies to a sealant applicator for applying a sealant and more particularly but not by way of limitation to an air operated sealant applicator for applying a ring of sealant in and around the top of a rivet hole prior to installing the rivet.
Heretofore, prior art sealant applicators have delivered uneven amounts of sealant, often in globs, to the top of a rivet hole. When there was too much sealant delivered to the top of the hole, the excess sealant had to be wiped off by hand and the sealant was wasted. If too little sealant was applied to the top of the hole, corrosion would occur around the rivet and the top of the hole because of an inadequate seal.
Also other types of sealant applicators have a tendency to continually drip sealant when not in use causing waste and an unsightly work area in and around the drilling equipment. The applicators of this kind often deliver the sealant from a distance greater than two to three feet from the work piece. The sealant characteristically, in time, increase in this viscosity causing the clogging of the sealant in the delivery lines thereby requiring regular maintenance in the cleaning out the delivery lines and adding fresh sealant. Further, the end of the sealant probe was not protected or covered when the probe was not in use. This caused the sealant to often be wiped on the operator of the equipment or on adjacent equipment again causing waste of the sealant and an unsightly work area. Further, the end of the unprotected probe collected metal chips thereon.
The following patents describe different types of coating and sealing apparatus. None of these patents describe the unique structure and advantages of the subject invention as described herein
The patents are:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,216,121 to Legro et al., PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,126 to Matheson, PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,409 to Votow et al., PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,507,438 to Mullin. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,347 to Wagner et al.